The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-11

care for them and their families. and |
that when they returned there would |
be nothing too good for ther1-no gift, |
no place or Office in our power they |
could not command.
Gentlemen, as I understand obliga-
tiOns, as ] understand duty, LOYALTY
and honor, those promises and pledges |
stand above all else, aud they reach |
down into the eternal foundations on
which rest the well-being of all civil
lied society. How have we of this
County kept faith? Did We redeem
our pledges when we elected Walter
Dexter over that brave soldier, George
Hale ? How about the election last |
fall, when the electors Of this county |
made choice of an ex-saloon keeper, a |
self-cOnvicted viO!ator of law, over
Charles FrantZ, man who periled his |
life IN defence of law and government, |
then in deadly peril from traitors who
detied all law? And, gentlemen. how |
about your vote on the 14th of last |
month?
Mr.. Chairman, among the many mot |
toes flung before the eyes of our boys
In blue, as they came marching home, |
was this: "The debt we can never pay |
the debt we owe the soldier"
Mr.. Chairman, [ have in my mind |
the picture of little boy, small lad |
when the war broke out, much given
to beating the drum. He grew up.
married, aud is now and has been for
some time connected with banking
institution of this city; has a good
salary: has something laid by for the
future; has all the comforts and many
of the Injuries of modern life. This
man is my son; he has no more need
of the Office of Treasurer of this coun-
ty than need to be Street Supervis-
or; has no rightful claim on this coun-
ty for the place whatever. Now, Mr..
Chairman and gentlemen, what would
you think of me il l should come to
you privately and solicit you to give
this appointment to this son of mine,
as against any one of the soldiers
whose names, have given you. and,
for that matter, any soldier in this
county who is qualified for the place
do not know what you would think
but to me it would be such an act of
base ingratitude, such a violation of
sacred promises, as to justly consign
me to infamv. What is the petty
value of this Office compared with the
unpaid debt we owe these soldiers!
Gentlemen, have spoken much
more for Capt. Frantz than for the rest
of those names have the honor to
present for your consideration. have
done so, because he came more promi-
nently before this community as the
candidate for the Office of Sheriff last
fall, and because | feel that vote to be
disgrace to our county, and [ wished,
i'll some measure, to redeem our good
name, and so urged his name more than
the rest. There are many soldiers who
are as deserving as he, and if they are
unable, by reason of wounds, to do
manual labor. they should receive as
much consideration as he. The SOL
diers whose names / have given are
volunteer soldiers, as brave and faith
full as ever periled life and all in their
country's defence-are all good, capable
men, and / would.gladly go on the bond
OF any of them, if you may see fit to
honor yourselves by appointing one of
| them to that Office.
Gentlemen, do not present these
men to you as objects Of charity. We,
the people of this county, are the reci-
pients of a priceless service. We are
debtors, and if held to strict account
| ing would be declared bankrupt. They
are our creditors, and it behooves us 20
earnestly endeavOr, in some measure,
to reduce this debt-tO, IN some way.
acknowledge our obligation.
Mr.. Chairman, if I read the SIGNS
| Alright, you and will soon be called be.
fore Judge in whose hands are the
scales of eternal justice and if in the
balance you and l, with our bank de-
posits, bonds and title deeds, are placed,
l fear we would kick the beam, out
weighed by an empty slseUe.,
Gentlemen, ponder on these things.
This office you did not make; you can
not unmake it. You are here to do the
peoples business, aud it so happens
that you are here to appoint Treas
urer. You are to do this in the inter-
est of the people, and they require JUS
tice, first and always. This is not the
FIRST time the same interest has claim
ed recognition. Martin Thomas, Coun-
ty Treasurer, died before the expira-
ton of his term of Office, and the Board
promptly appointed one of the direc-
tors of the same banking house that
now places one of its officers before
you as candidate. At the same time
they had among their directors brave
and capable soldier, Geo. Hale, upon
whom the burdens of life had fallen
heavily. Why could they not have had
the grace and generosity to take him ?
| take the liberty of calling your atten-
ton to my letter of Jan. 26, in which
[ showed that there is no rival Bank
struggle about this matter, and 1 claim,
before you and the people of this coun.
tv, that | only care, in this matter. to
prevent an act of gross injustice to the
soldier representative element Of this
county. L ask that you carefully con-
slider the whole matter and that you
deal justly. See to it that your act
tends to reward patriotism that it tends
to encourage and promote a generous,
self sacrificing public spirit, to the end
that all the DeO pie NAV rejoice